Sheffield had Mathieu Roy back from injury with Jeff Legue reverting to the third line.

But they went behind when Panthers’ new boy Guillaume Doucet scored at 12;36.

Five minutes later slacking marking gave a chance to Cody Wild and all of a sudden Gerad Adams’ side had a mountain to climb.

The second period was equally bad.

Bruce Graham waltzed around Frank Doyle at 34;40 for three and Brandon Benedict completed on odd-man rush for 0-4 five minutes later.

Steelers showed more spirit in the final session and Mathieu Roy scored low at 51;14.

But too little too late - and Panthers deserved the points once again.

RESULTS

Saturday 10th January

Elite League

Belfast Giants 2 Hull Stingrays 4

Braehead Clan 5 Fife Flyers 1

Cardiff Devils 4 Coventry Blaze 5

Edinburgh Capitals 1 Dundee Stars 2 (After Penalty Shootout)

Sheffield Steelers 1 Nottingham Panthers 4

FIXTURES

Sunday 11th January

Elite League

Coventry Blaze v Sheffield Steelers – 5.15pm

Dundee Stars v Belfast Giants – 6.30pm

Fife Flyers v Edinburgh Capitals - 6.30pm

Hull Stingrays v Braehead Clan – 6.00pm

Nottingham Panthers v Cardiff Devils – 5.00pm

* Steelers’ Dave Simms is organising a charity walk from his home near Birmingham to Sheffield Arena.

He will be joined by two other backroom Steeler men, Neil Edwards and Elliott Hall on a three and a half day ensuring they arrive in time to for Steelers’ home game against Cardiff on Saturday 21st March.

All money raised in the “Simmsey and Friends” walk will be donated directly to Weston Park Cancer Charity where the club’s Amy Usher continues her treatment.

The walk has a second objective. The SSSC are holding their own sponsored walk, the Five Weirs Walk, on Sunday 22nd March, the day after the regular season ends.

The club is asking fans to participate in the walk and raise your sponsorship.

The monies raised in the Five Weirs walk will be split between the SSSC and two charities. Again the Weston Park Cancer Charity and The Butterfly Rooms at Rotherham Hospital. Steelers players, owners and staff will also participate.

“I guess it’s my challenge to the fans” said David Simms “If this chubby old fellow can walk 83 miles then the fans can walk four or five for some great causes.

“I’ve always liked the idea of a sponsored walk as a fund raiser for the club and in recent weeks have been working closely with the SSSC committee who were keen to do something for their two chosen charities. So we combined the two. Neil, Elliott and I will walk purely for Amy’s charity at Weston Park and then the fans can walk and help support Weston Park, The Butterfly Rooms and the SSSC.

“Preparation is also well underway. Neil, Elliott and I all could do with losing a few pounds so selfishly this won’t do us any harm. I’d started going to the gym daily. This was meant to just lose a few pounds but now there is a real target at the end. 83 miles, Weston Park Cancer Charity and hopefully encouraging many fans to do the Five Weirs walk the day after we conclude our walk.

“I think everyone at the club has been touched with Amy Usher’s story, her and the whole Usher family are an inspiration. We all feel helpless, all wanting to help her get better and all unable. So the only thing we can really do is walk, raise some money and give to to the people who can help her and others with similar conditions.

“Our good friend Nick Hardy ay Ogilvie has donated a support vehicle that will be driven by photographer Dean Woolley over the length of the trip – we had asked Dean to join us in the walk but he chickened out, he will now be in charge of food, refreshments and massaging our feet at the end of the three nights.

If readers want to sponsor the Just Giving Page: https://www.justgiving.com/Simmsey-and-Friends

People can also donate by texting SFWP81 to 70070 followed by either £1, £2, £3, £4, £5 or £10. For example ‘SFWP81 £5’.